The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-13

ing the war to see six mule teams stalled in
the mud on Pennsylvania avenue. The side
walks and lighting were OF the same truly
Southern character The buildings. outside of
those OF the Government were very common
place, am ordinary, plain, three-st0ry brick
house, without a bathroom. or any of the con-
veniences that prosperous Ohio farmer thinks
Indispensable for his family's comfort being
considered quite an arstOcratc residence. IL
is instructive 10 one who has been fed iull of
the stories OF the brilliant society Ia Washing
Ton "AlO' de wah," the luxury elegance aud
refinement that existed here among those old
" arstOcsats," 90 go into some oil the old houses
which were the homes of these magnatcs aud
find them destitute of bathrooms, with LITTLE
pinched.up bedrooms and everything else
mean, common and cOmfostlcss. One thought
that naturally comes up is whether these high
bred bellies and beaux. of which we have read
30 much, actually went from one years end TO
another without the common decency of an
occasional bath; aud what sort of comfort
could there have been when they were packed
into those study little bedrooms like sardincs
An box.
The lower grade Of houses embraced all man
DeT Of cheap and unsighty shanties, built ac-
cording 10 the squatters fancy and means upon
any spot that suited him upon the limitlcss
commons which formed the greater portion OF
the area Of the Capital City The a-csiale
owners were true SOutherners. and resented
public improvements with the genuine Dixie
spirit
What pass a law 10 make me build a side
walk, sah z" said one housekeeping old Nir-
giuiaui " that d be insuficrable tyranny, sab f;
REGULAR Yankee tyranny. sab. IN not stand
~, sab. ~ I want sidewalk in front OF my
house III build il, sab. IL ] don't want IL j
won't have IT, sab, and III shoot any man that
comes on my property for that purpose, sab"
This sort oil feeling was allowed 10 stand in
nj al ~ I'm
yeaIs alter the war until at last the condition
Of the Capital Of the Nation became so dis
creditable that il could not be endured any
longer, and Congress began instituting some
rad zeal measures A District Government
was constituted with extraordinary powers
and the real head OF il was Alex r. Shepherd
man Of executive ability and will power like
Y. 5. Grants. He started out TO improve the
city IN about the same spirit that Grant started
out 90 capture Richmond lie graded tho
scores OF miles Of streets 10 a uniformity; he
CONSTRUCTED AN extensive system OF sewerage /;
lac drove the squatters of the circles, squares
and trianR1es which had been reserved 10y the
Government for little parks, and devoted them
10 their proper uses by incosing them. setting
them out with trees, constructing beds of flow
ers, fountains etc. Occasionally he would tear
down au old building, which was an eyesore, in
night, aud when the morning came the as-
tonished citizens would find men blowing
the ground down la grass He paved all the
principal streets with an asphalt pavement un-
surpassed by that of any city Ia the world.
But The Feeling aroused against him was in
tense. The old Southerners, led by Corcoran
and Riggs, the bankers were infuriated at being
shaken up by the rude hand of modern prog.
ress. The man whose house was left on top oil
high bank aud the one whose house was left
an a deep hole by the grading of a street filled
the air with their clamOrs. The men who had
20 pay the assessments for the street improve
memts-thc Government paid One-half in each
case-were wild. suck torrent of abuse de-
scended upon Shepherd few men have had
10 Withstand. lie persevered courageously "a
the end, and then, after having accomplished
what he set out 20 do he left the city a poor
man aud went % Mexico 10 make a fortune Ia
mining. Prom one of the most unsightly Capt.
tails la ChristcndOm Washington has become one
Of the loVelicst The splendid streets and
lovely parks have become lined with superb
buildings. From all over the country wealthy
men have come 10 establish elegant homes in
the most beautiful city in the country. IN
consequence, luilding property has gone NJ
beyond the dreams of avarcc." Ground on
Sixteenth street, for example, which beior,
Boss Shepherds administration would not
bring 20 ccuis a square foot cannot be bought
now for $3 foot
Naturally, there has been a strong reyuisio1